tl;dr

This Prezi is a brief introduction on WhoSay. The information shared is based off of sources used in this post. Click the button below to watch it:

What is WhoSay?

WhoSay is a social networking site designed for celebrities to retain ownership rights over their posts (source). It is an interesting concept because it is the combination of a social media site and a celebrity news site. It works for stars because it allows them to have control over what information is shared about them and to see analytic information on what they post. Celebrities can share updates for fans and because it’s shared through WhoSay, the copyright of the content belongs to the celeb. A copyright claim is even stamped at the bottom of photos and videos uploaded to the site (source). The service is by invitation only, authenticating the identity of every celebrity on the site (source).

The site also benefits people interested in celebrity news because the news is conveniently provided for them in one place in the form of a customizable digital magazine. It’s like a more sophisticated and reliable TMZ or Perez Hilton. News updates come directly from celebs or from only a handful of writers at WhoSay. The features that this site provides celebs are also available on the WhoSay mobile app. From there, they can monitor their account, post content, and reply to fan’s comments.

tl;dr: So, what exactly is WhoSay? It’s an exclusive, invite-only community that provides a space via a website and app to over 2000 celebs. In this space, they can publish content, seek editorial support for their projects, and find opportunities to make money off of their online brand with social campaigns (source).

How Does it Work for Fans?

Fans can sign up easily and quickly with an existing Twitter or Facebook account.

Once they’ve made an account, they can add specific influencers to their tailor-made feed to receive celeb updates or just view the main page for the most recent news. The fact that fans can create their own personalized feed with celebs and pages of their choice makes the WhoSay website and app a completely interactive space catered to each user. It is much more engaging than celebrity news sites that don’t offer a customized dashboard.

How Does it Work for Celebs?

WhoSay is essentially a HootSuite for the stars. With it, they’re able to manage their social media presence and make that sure that their photos and videos are posted on a page the stars themselves can control and eventually monetize (source). They can monetize their personal brand by working with companies that WhoSay matches them with to create ads like this one:

History

WhoSay was founded in March 2010 by Steve Ellis, with a goal of returning ownership of celebrity content back to the stars (source). Ellis received funding for the startup from notable investors like Amazon, Creative Artists Agency, Comcast Ventures, Greylock Partners, High Peaks Ventures and Tencent in China (source).

In September 2013, an app was launched just for fans to follow their favorite celebs (source).

In October of that same year, Rob Gregory joined WhoSay as the CRO (source). Today, over 6.5 Million monthly users use WhoSay to post, share, and view celebrity content.

Easy to Use

WhoSay appeals to celebrities because it allows them to easily reach their large audiences through various social media channels by sending out just one post on WhoSay. Social media sharing is not just integrated for celebs, though. Fans can also share celebrity posts on their own social media sites, allowing all users to share content easily. The WhoSay site is also mobile-friendly, making it easier for both celebs and fans to utilize it. It’s so easy to use, that stars like Zac Efron, Tom Hanks, and Chris Rock use WhoSay to share their own updates, allowing their posts to rise above all the tabloids and gossip by being the primary sources of their own stories.

Data

Target Audience

The majority of monthly users that are engaging with the content content on WhoSay are female. To be exact, 51% of them are female and 70% of them are between the ages of 24 and 55. Furthermore, 56.55% of users live in the United States and 70% have an income over $70K (source). So, WhoSay’s target market can be personified with a consumer persona like Courtney:

User Numbers & Growth

As of April 2016, the amount of estimated monthly page views has grown by 3 Million. WhoSay’s monthly traffic reached an all-time high of 6.5 Million last month (source).